The present invention relates to methods of feeding poultry during growth, or egg production, and in particular, it relates to methods for optimizing, meat production, egg production, growth or feed efficiency.
For purposes of this application, the word poultry will be used to refer to domesticated birds which are raised and kept for the purpose of collecting their eggs, or raised for their meat and/or feathers. These domesticated birds are typically members of the superorder Galloanserae (fowl), especially in order Galliformes (which includes chickens, quails and turkeys) and the family Anatidae (in order Anseriformes), commonly known as “waterfowl” (e.g. domestic ducks and domestic geese). The word poultry also includes other birds which are killed for their meat, such as pigeons or doves or birds considered to be game, such as pheasants.
Of particular interest are domesticated chickens, turkeys, geese and ducks which are invaluable in supplying meat or eggs to the population of most industrialized countries. In order to stay profitable, owners have had to optimize the amount of meat, eggs or growth produced. Profits are realized more readily when feed is utilized efficiently for growth and or meat production or egg production.
Nonstructural carbohydrates have been used in attempts to increase growth, meat, and egg production. Such nonstructural carbohydrates include starches, soluble sugars and other reserved carbohydrates. Starches are of particular importance since starch in the form of grains such as corn, sorghum, oats, wheat and the like can be purchased at economical prices or grown by the producer. Starch includes both amylose and amylopectin molecules which in turn are broken down to glucose for availability to poultry.
However, the dynamics of the avian gastrointestinal system are such that the availability of starch in grains to enzymatic digestion can affect both feed efficiency and egg production. Review of the prior art indicates no specific solution to optimizing the feed efficiency and egg production resulting from feeding various starch sources.
Thus the dilemma results of how to increase meat, and egg production since increasing starch intake to improve digestibility can lead to reduced health, production and feed efficiency.